From duct tape to videotape, Midlander on Letterman show

William Beacom doesn't view his duct tape designs as a stupid human trick. But when he received a call to appear on the CBS "Late Show" with David Letterman, he was ready to fly to New York.

Beacom, 16 and a Midland High School junior, will appear on the 11:30 p.m. show Friday as a duct tape expert. CBS affiliate WNEM-TV5 will carry the broadcast. Beacom and his family returned from the taping Tuesday.

"From the beginning, I didn't want to be like a corny magician," Beacom said. "I just wanted to be me."

The warm welcome and support he received from those he met at the Ed Sullivan Theater on Broadway, where the taping took place, helped him feel comfortable being just that - himself.

Beacom's amateur lecture tour began last December when he demonstrated his skills for making wallets, playing-card holders and vests at the Grace A. Dow Memorial Library. Groups within driving distance heard of his work, and he ended up presenting at 22 workshops. After one at the public library in Haslett near Lansing in October, Michigan State University's newspaper published a story about him. An MSU graduate who is a talent coordinator for Letterman's show saw the story and put wheels in motion.

Beacom needed to submit a five-minute videotape showing off his talent, and that was the easy part. His dad is Ron Beacom, director of Midland Community Television.

"They were really impressed with the tape, the professional quality put into it," William Beacom said.

Before long, he got the call to come to New York. It all felt surreal.

He arrived Monday with some of his favorite creations - including a dress tie, roses and his version of Chuck Taylor shoes - plus "a ton of duct tape."

"I went into a conference room, got everything laid out," he said.

He rehearsed once, then did the taping. There was no stop-and-go here, just one chance to do it right.

"If you mess up, you mess up," he said.

The theater, where audiences have seen the likes of the Beatles and the Rolling Stones, is smaller than TV watchers might think, he said.

"It's really cold in there," he said. "They keep it at 53 degrees 'cause when you're hot, you get drowsy and bored."

Beacom is prohibited from talking specifics about the show and the taping until after it's broadcast. But he did say he met orchestra leader Paul Schafer and, as Beacom walked offstage after his performance, fellow guest Danny DeVito grabbed his arm.